A country in northwestern Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean, in the Sahel zone. Mauritania is mostly covered by the sands of Sahara (in more than 80%). It is the fourth most sensitive country in the world in terms of climate changes. The recurring cycles of long-term drought (resulting in degradation of natural resources) and the aggravating water deficit additionally contribute to lack of food safety, from which the country suffers. Although it is populated by only 4.4 million people, it is a classic example of the problem of hunger caused by poverty and insufficient production of food.
28.02.2024
It’s a bit like driving a rover on another planet. I’m not sure which one. Hot, sandy, harsh, and unjust. 90% of Mauritania is just desert sand. Dust has been hanging in the air for a good week. We cannot see the sky. Everything is in sepia — a single fixed shade that enters the eyes, bites the skin, irritates the nose.
If the world ends somewhere, we are very close to that place.
“The Islamic Republic of Mauritania has religion written into its constitution. There are no Christians among Mauritanians. Everyone practices Islam,” explains Father Martin Happe, the bishop of Nouakchott. Next to him sits Father Victor, the bishop-elect, who will receive episcopal ordination in April and replace the retiring Bishop Happe.
The Catholic mission in this country is merely and entirely about being present, about engaging in social projects. Any form of evangelization would violate the rights written in the constitution.
We eat dinner together. In a modest house, not resembling a bishop’s residence. Father Happe sets the table, he scolds us when we get up to help. “You can do that when I come to your place.” We talk about how kindness begets kindness, respect begets respect. That one needs to listen to be heard and that these are the most important principles that allow a handful of Christians from other countries to be here.
Bishop Happe, Sister Ewa, and missionaries from Atar and Kaédi teach us about Mauritania. We won’t change the customs and the culture because, in Mauritania, they are more than sacred. We won’t solve the problems, we won’t remedy the injustice. We are only allowed to be here, to listen, and to heal wounds. For us, that is “only”. For the people of Mauritania, thus “only” means saving the life of another child who, without our presence here, would die of hunger.
28.03.2024
Today in Senegal, entire families are preparing Ngalakh. They are preparing it but won’t eat it yet. Only after the Passion Play, after the burial of Jesus, Christians gather and in the spirit of mourning share Ngalakh with Muslims. It symbolizes the harmony that transcends differences between their religions. Ngalakh is a type of dessert […]
19.03.2024
“It is a good sign if the child is crying. It signals that their strength is returning, that they have the energy to show they are suffering. Hunger kills in silence.” “Why do people here starve?” “Hunger has always been present in the Sahara. The desert is not welcoming. It has nothing to offer. It […]
11.03.2024
The Sahara is both beautiful and harsh. It commands respect. Tourists, who visit briefly, see its beauty but don’t grasp how harsh it is. For those who know no other climate, life here is easier. They understand that one does not argue with the desert. Any form of disobedience carries severe consequences. Slavery doesn’t need […]
